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About Us

Our Story

Vintage Trains is a Birmingham-based heritage railway operator running steam and diesel journeys on the national mainline across England and Wales. Every locomotive that hauls our trains is maintained, restored, and kept in operational condition at Tyseley Locomotive Works, one of the country’s most significant centres of working locomotive preservation, where a team of engineers and volunteers have dedicated years to the work.

These locomotives haul passengers across Britain on the same network used by modern trains every day. This is possible because of the decades of skill and commitment that have gone into keeping the historic engines running, with every departure evidence of that passion.

A Registered Charity

Vintage Trains is a registered charity, meaning every ticket sold contributes directly to the preservation and operation of the locomotives in our care. The work of maintaining a fleet of mainline steam and diesel locomotives to the standards required to run on the national network is considerable, and it is funded by the journeys you take with us. Booking a seat is, in its own way, an act of support for something genuinely worth preserving.

Based in Birmingham, running across Britain

Our home is Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham, a working railway site that has been at the heart of locomotive preservation in the West Midlands for over half a century. The locomotives maintained here reach destinations across England and Wales, covering routes that take in some of the most varied and compelling landscapes the national network has to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Vintage Trains?

Vintage Trains is a heritage railway operator based at Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham. It runs steam and diesel excursions on the national mainline, covering routes across England and Wales.

Yes. Vintage Trains is a registered charity (no. 1040904). Revenue from journeys supports the preservation and operation of the locomotive fleet.

Vintage Trains is based at Tyseley Locomotive Works, 670 Warwick Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, B11 2HL, where its locomotives are maintained and prepared. Passenger departures take place from a range of stations depending on the journey. Full departure details are listed on each individual journey page.

Vintage Trains runs steam and diesel excursions on the national mainline, ranging from half-day scenic trips to full-day dining journeys. Regular services include the Shakespeare Express between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon, as well as longer excursions to destinations across England and Wales.

Vintage Trains runs on the national mainline rather than a dedicated heritage line. This means journeys cover greater distances, reach a wider range of destinations, and travel at mainline speeds, while still being hauled by restored heritage locomotives.

Journeys can be booked online through the Vintage Trains website. For group and private charter enquiries, contact the team directly at bookings@vintagetrains.co.uk or call 0121 708 4960 (10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday).

Featured Rides

13 hours 19 minutes
The Shakespeare Express from Birmingham
from $15.90
from $15.90

Departure: 5:50 am
The Cambrian Coast Express runs from Birmingham through the heart of Wales to the seaside town of Aberystwyth, taking in some of the most dramatic scenery on the national network along the way. Standard tickets from £132.50 per person. Child and family tickets available. What's included in every ticket: A heritage diesel-hauled journey from Birmingham through central Wales to the coast and back in a single day Around five and a half hours in Aberystwyth, with the Cliff Railway, the castle, and the promenade all within easy reach Comfortable seating with picture windows and a buffet car on board, with bacon rolls and afternoon tea available to pre-order Upgrade to First Class from £265.00 per person for a light breakfast and afternoon tea served at your seat in our authentic 1960s coaches, or to Pullman Dining from £376.30 per person for a full English breakfast and four-course evening dinner, served in one of our original Pullman Cars. The train is hauled by our resident Class 37, 37240, running double-headed with a Class 97 from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and back. While you are in Aberystwyth, a chartered double-headed train on the Vale of Rheidol Railway runs a return journey to Devil's Bridge, available as an add-on for £30 per person. Departing Dorridge, Widney Manor, Birmingham New Street, Tame Bridge Parkway, Wolverhampton, and Shrewsbury. Saturday 5 September. All prices include a 6% booking fee.
from $98.35

Departure: 6:10 am
Two Castle Class steam locomotives, working double-headed and entirely unassisted, hauling a single train over the South Devon banks and along the sea wall at Dawlish. This is The Mayflower, and it is the closest thing Vintage Trains runs to recreating the golden age of mainline steam in full force. Standard tickets from £190.80 per person. Child and family tickets available. What's included in every ticket: A diesel-hauled run from Birmingham to Bristol, where Clun Castle and Earl of Mount Edgcumbe attach to the front of the train and take over for the haul south A steam-hauled run from Bristol to Plymouth and back, unassisted by diesel, over some of the most demanding gradients on the network and along the Dawlish sea wall Comfortable seating with picture windows and a buffet car on board, with bacon rolls and afternoon tea available to pre-order Upgrade to First Class from £265.00 per person for a light breakfast and afternoon tea served at your seat in our authentic 1960s coaches, or to Pullman Dining from £445.20 per person for a full English breakfast and four-course evening dinner, served in one of our original Pullman Cars. The Mayflower takes its name from a short-lived British Railways Western Region express that ran at the end of the steam era, revived here for a working that enthusiasts rarely get to see: two Castle Class locomotives sharing the load on one of the toughest stretches of mainline railway in the country. Departing Birmingham Snow Hill, Stourbridge Junction, Droitwich Spa, Worcester Shrub Hill, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway, and Bristol Temple Meads. Saturday 12 September. All prices include a 6% booking fee.
from $148.35